BILANG PILIPINO | Candidates question Comelec’s requirements to secure permit for campaigns

February 10, 2022 , 09:41 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(February 10, 2022) – Candidates for national positions on Thursday questioned the poll body’s guidelines requiring campaign rallies to secure permits in light of the coronavirus pandemic, saying the requirements are an additional burden.

Lito Banayo, the campaign manager of Manila Mayor and presidential candidate Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, said the new normal guidelines issued by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be difficult to enforce and too demanding for candidates.

He said securing permits to hold motorcades demand them to do heavy paperwork for every municipality they will pass through, which he deemed impractical.

“Be real Comelec. Be real DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government). Mag-isip isip nga kayo. Get your feet on the ground. Hindi ganoon kadali yung mga kung ano anong sinasabi ninyo, para bang gusto niyong wag na mag-eleksyon,” Banayo said on CignalTV’s One PH channel’s program ‘Sa Totoo Lang.”

Reelectionist Senator Leila de Lima urged the Comelec to reconsider its permit system for election campaigns, criticizing it as a form of bureaucratic red tape. She understood the directive was made to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), but it could potentially deny a candidate’s right to campaign.

“COMELEC might have just gone overboard this time in its zeal to reinforce election rules in coping with the pandemic. But even a pandemic should not be a cause to restrict our democracy and our democratic exercises,” said de Lima, who has been in detention for four years on drug charges. She said the cases were fabricated to silence her.

Comelec Resolution 10732, which detailed the guidelines in conducting campaigns amid the pandemic, requires candidates to secure permits from the local government units concerned to hold motorcades, caravans, rallies, and miting de avance held outdoors.

Another presidential candidate, labor leader Leody de Guzman, risked disqualification when he pushed through with his proclamation rally on Tuesday after the Comelec said that he had not secured the permit for it, possibly constituting an election offense.

De Guzman had admitted lapses on their party’s side, but he said that they had encountered problems with securing the requirements demanded by the Comelec, citing delays in granting permits from the local government.
But election lawyer Emil Marañon commented the resolution has no legal basis and De Guzman’s lapses cannot be considered an election offense.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the poll body has not received any complaints against De Guzman on the matter, but they will reach out to him to secure his commitment to comply with the poll body’s rules.

The interior department said that candidates and campaign organizers who are caught violating the established health protocols will be issued a warning first, but repeated offenses could lead to filing of charges.

(MM)

Privacy Statement

Our Privacy Commitment

TV5 Network Inc. values and respects your privacy. We are committed to safeguarding your personal data in compliance with Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and its implementing rules and regulations.

We have developed a Privacy Policy that adopts and observes appropriate standards for personal data protection. While our Privacy Policy sets out the general principles governing the collection, use, and disclosure of our users’ personal information, our Privacy Commitment seeks to inform you more about TV5’s privacy practices.

Why do we collect your personal information (as applicable)?

We may collect and maintain basic information about you as site user of TV5 sites for the following purposes:

To deliver news and updates on current events, sports, esports and entertainment;
To share livestreams of news and sports events;
To understand our viewers’ needs and preferences;
To meet legal and regulatory requirements; and
To perform other processes or disclosures that are required to comply with pertinent laws, rules, or regulations.

Where do we get your personal information?

There are several ways we collect your personal information.

Information that you personally provided.

Most of the personal information we have are those that you have provided us when you:
- Register to our programs or services;
- Inquired, filed a complaint or requested for our services;
- Took part in our research and surveys; and/or
- Became our Partner, Vendor, Contractor or Supplier.

Information we collect during your engagement with us

We also collect information as you use our products and services, like:
- Viewing our websites;
- Activities that are being tracked by our website cookies;
- Calling our hotline;
- Using our apps, websites, and self-service channels and portals; and/or
- Joining our promos, prize raffles, or rewards and loyalty programs.

Information we collect from other sources

Other means of collection of information may be through:
- Our market research initiatives;
- When you visit and use our websites and mobile application; and
- Subsidiaries, affiliates, and third-party business partners to whom you have given consent to share your information to us.

When do we disclose personal information?

There may be instances when we are required to share the information you provided us. In such cases, we ensure that your personal information will be disclosed on a confidential manner, through secure channels and in compliance with the Data Privacy Act and other privacy laws.

We will never share, rent, or sell your personal information to third parties outside of TV5 except in special cases where you have given consent, and in cases described in our privacy policy.

In some instances, we may be required to disclose your personal information to our agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, business partners and other third-party agencies and service providers as part of our regular business operations and for the provision of our programs and services. This means we might share your information with our service providers, contractors, and professional advisers who help us provide our services.

How we protect your personal information

The integrity, confidentiality, and security of your information is important to us. We have implemented technical, organizational, and physical security measures that are designed to protect your information from unauthorized or fraudulent access, alteration, disclosure, misuse, and other unlawful activities.

We also put in effect the following safeguards:

We keep and protect your information using a secured server behind a firewall, encryption and security controls;
We keep your information only for as long as it is necessary for us to (a) provide the products and services that you avail from us, (b) for our legitimate business purposes, (c) to comply with pertinent laws, and (d) for special cases that will require the exercise or defense of legal claims;
We limit the access to your information only to qualified and authorized personnel who are trained to handle your information with strict confidentiality;
We undergo regular audits and rigorous testing of our infrastructure’s security protocols to ensure your data is always protected;
We promptly notify you and the National Privacy Commission when sensitive personal information that may, under the circumstances, be used to enable identity fraud are reasonably believed to have been acquired by an unauthorized person; and
We let you update your information securely to keep our records accurate.

TV5 will not collect, use, or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose that you may have given your consent for.

What are your choices?

We make sure that we have your consent to continue to collect, use, and disclose your personal information for the purposes that we have identified. We want you to know that you may object or withdraw your consent and/or edit your consent preferences at any time.

If you wish to have access to the personal information in our custody or if you think that the personal information you provided is incomplete, or otherwise inaccurate, you may get in touch with our Data Protection Officer through the contact details provided below. In some instances, we may request for supporting documents or proof before we effect requested changes.

Data Protection Officer
TV5 Network Inc.
Reliance corner Sheridan Streets
Mandaluyong City
tv5dataprivacy@tv5.com.ph

What happens when there are changes in our Policy?

From time to time, we may update our privacy policy and practices to comply with changes in applicable laws and regulatory requirements, adapt to new technologies and protocols, and align with the best practices of the industry.

You will be provided notices if the changes are significant and, if we are required by law, we will obtain your updated consent.